Road working machine



3, 1939-. w. K. BECKHAM ET AL 2,142,262

ROAD WORKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 3, 1939. w. K. BECKHAM ET AL ROAD WORKING MACHINE Filed 001;. 11, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 3, 1939. w. K. BECKHAM ET AL ROAD WORKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 o m 1 w 6 a z. um ax Wm 7 6 n 0 9 P w w w TL a F O Jan. 3, 1939. w. K. BECKHAM ET AL 2,142,262

ROAD WORKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Armstrong, Greenville, S. 0., assignors of onethird -to' Cornell G. Fuller, Barnwell, S.

Application October 11, 1937, Serial No. 168,464

I 13 fQlaims;

Our invention relates to improvements in road making or repairing machinery.

An important object of the invention is to prov vide apparatus of the above mentioned character which is sufficiently wide to act upon the I entire transverse area of the road, to mix or work, and level or grade the surface, while the apparatus is partaking of a single movement down the road. A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, formed of two or more units, suitably attached together, with means for operating the steering gears of the units in unison.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of working, mixing, or leveling blades which will distribute the bituminous aggregates or other material in a rearwardly direction, while causing the same to travel laterally over the road bed in intersecting'streams at substantially a right angle to each other, whereby the entire surface of the bed is properly covered with a layer of uniform thickness and density.

A further object of the invention is to provide Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying our invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus,

Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section taken on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a detailed section taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section taken on line 5--5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line 66 of Figure l,

Figure 7 is a similar view taken on line 'l--? of Figure l,

Figure 8 is a transverse section taken on line 3--8 of Figure 1, v

vertical individual adjustability for the trailing Figure 8a is a plan view of the strike oif blade, associated elements omitted,

Figure 9 is a transverse section taken on line 9'9 of Figure 8a,

Figure 10 is a similar view taken on line Ill-l0 5 .of Figure 8a,

. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of one end of the strike off blade and associated attaching means,

Figure 12 -is a detailed section taken on line 10 [2-12 of Figure 1,

Figure 13 is a similar view taken on line l'3--I3 of Figure 1, and,

Figure 14 is a plan view, partly diagrammatic of the several blades. 15 The apparatus comprises a pair of grading units l5, which might be used separately, if desired. Each unit comprises a front truck IS, including an axle l1, wheels l8, center plate l9 and tongue 20. The unit further comprises a sup- 20 porting truck frame 2| including forwardly diverging beams 22 rigidly connected at their forward ends and pivoted to the blade l9 by a king pin 23. This truck frame is arranged above the forward end of a main frame 24, which is rectangular and includes longitudinal beams 25, connected by several transverse beams 26, 21, 28, 29 and 30. The'rear ends of the beams 22 are hinged to the beams 25 as shown at 3!.

Hoisting means is provided to raise the forward end of each frame 25 with respect to its supporting truck frame 2|, including cables 32, attached to the truck frame at 38 and passed about pulleys 34 secured to the forward end of the frame 24 and then about pulleys 35, mounted upon the beams 22 of the truck frame. These cables are connected with drums 36 and 81, to be wound thereon and paid out therefrom, and these drums are turned by gearing including worm drives 38, and the gearing is manually actuated by hand wheels 39. It is thus seen that by tuming the proper hand wheel 39, the outer or inner side of the main frame 24 may be raised or lowered, separately with-respect "to the other side, or both sides maybe raised or-lcwered at the same time, if desired.

Each frame 24 has its rear portion supported by a pair of wheels 40, arranged upon opposite sides thereof, and these wheels are rotatably mounted upon spindles 4|, having knuckles 42 arranged between knuckles 43 and pivotally connected therewith by pins 44. Knuckles 43 are rigidly carried by depending crank arms 45, in turn rigidly mounted upon the outer ends of a horizontal transverse rock-shaft 46, journalled in bearings 41 formed upon the beams 25. When the rock-shaft 46 is turned, both sides of the frame 24, near its rear end, are raised or lowered. The means to turn the rock-shaft 46 comprises a crank 48, rigidly secured thereto, and connected with a cable 49, extending to'a drum 58, to be wound upon or paid out from the drum 58. Gearing is employed to turn the drum 58, comprising a worm drive 5|, manually operated by a hand wheel 52.

'I'hqframes 24 of the two units are connected near their forward ends by a strap iron 53 and at their rear ends by a tie beam 54, whereby they are maintained in spaced parallel relation. The two sets of wheels 48 are steered as a unit, for aiding in the steering of the entire apparatus. The knuckles 42 in each pair are provided with crank arms 55, to which are rigidly secured upstanding inclined arms 56, which are pivotally connected at 51 by a drag link 58, so that the wheels 48 in each pair steer in unison. The inner ends of the drag links 58 are pivotally connected by a bridge drag link 59, mounted upon the pivot means 51, so that the two drag links 58 move in unison. A crank 68 is rigidly secured to the knuckle 42 on one side of one frame 24, and this crank has pivotal connection with a link 6|, connectedwith a crank 62, which is swung by the conventional gearing including a hand wheel 63. It is thus seen that by turning the hand wheel 63 both pairs of wheels 48 are turned for steering.

The tongues 28 are connected with a draw bar 64, in turn connected with a tongue 65, secured to a tractor or the like. The trucks I6 follow the tractor as it turns, and the sets of rear wheels 48 are steered by the wheel 63, to cause the apparatus to properly and accurately follow the desired path of travel when rounding a curve or the like.

The numerals 66 and 61 designate a pair of working or leveling blades arranged beneath each frame 24 and provided at their tops with angle irons 68 secured to the beams of the frame 24 by bolts or rivets 69. The blade 66 is provided at its forward end with an extension 18 extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the frame 24, to limit the outer edge of the surface being spread. The blades 66 and 61, in each pair, converge rearwardly providing a passage 1| for thecoating material. The blades 61 of the two units constitute a pair which converge forwardly, the forward ends of which are in close relation whereby these two blades 61 constitute in effect one V-shaped blade. In each unit, a V-shaped blade 12 is provided which is attached to the frame 24 in a similar manner as described in connection with the other blades. This V-shaped blade converges forwardly and has its apex arranged in the central longitudinal axis of the frame 24 and centrally of the passage 'II and slightly rearwardly of the same. An outer blade 13 is arranged near and beneath the outer beam 25 of each frame 24 and attached to the frame in a similar manner as described in connection with the other blades. The blade 13 is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame 24 and-is provided at its forward end with an extension 14, parallel with the longitudinal axis of the frame 24, for the purpose stated in connection with the extension I8. A blade 15 is arranged near and beneath the inner beam of the frame 24 and is attached in the manner described in connection with the blade 13 and this blade 15 is also inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of of the V-shaped blade 11.

its frame. Blades 13 and 15 of each unit constitute a. pair, which diverge rearwardly and provide a passage 16, for the road material. Blades 15 extend outwardly beyond the inner beams 25 of the two frames 24 and these blades 1 also form a pair, which converge forwardly, and the forward ends of these blades are in close relation so that they form in effect a single forwardly converging V-shaped blade. Each frame 24 is provided near its rear end and rearwardly of the blades 13 and 15 with a V -'shaped blade11, which converges forwardly, with its forward end disposed centrally of the passage 16 and spaced therefrom. This V-shaped blade is arranged beneath the frame 24 and is so connected with the frame that it is adapted to be adjusted vertically as a unit, with respect thereto. This vertical adjustment is effected by means to be now described. Connected with the sides of the V- shaped blade 11 near its rear ends are blocks 18, rigidly secured thereto, and these blocks have screw-threaded openings 19, to receive the screwthreaded ends of vertical shafts 88, operating within bearings 8|, mounted upon the transverse beam 38, there being room for slight play between the shaft and bearing, as shown. The shafts 88 have hand wheels 82 secured to their upper ends, and are provided with collars 83 rigidly secured thereto. The shafts 88 cannot partake of longitudinal movement with respect to the beam 38, but can turn with relation thereto. In a similar manner, a block 84 is secured to the apex or forward end of the V-shaped blade 11 and carries a knuckle 85, having a screw-threaded opening 86, to receive the screw-threaded portion 81 of the vertical shaft 88, journalled in a bearing 89 carried by the beam 29. The shaft 88 has a band wheel 98 secured to its upper end and is provided with a collar 9| rigidly attached thereto. The shaft 88 is held against longitudinal movement with respect to the beam 29 but can turn with relation thereto by raisingthe forward end It is thus seen that the V-shaped blade 11 is supported at three points, and may be vertically adjusted by turning the three vertical shafts substantially at the same time. Arranged at the forward end or apex of each V-shaped blade 11 is a horizontally angularly adjustable rudder 92, having knuckles 93. pivotally mounted upon tubular pins 94, carried by the inner knuckle 85. It is thus seen that the rudder is raised and lowered with the V-shaped blade but may be swung laterally with relation thereto. Means to swing each rudder horizontally an i hold it in the adjusted position comprises a hand lever 95, pivotally mounted upon a stationary toothed quadrant 96, in turn rigidly mounte'i upon cross tie 28. The lever 9| is provided w-th the usual latch means 91 to coaet with the quadrant 96. Pivotally connected with the lever 95 is a link 98 pivotally connected with the rudder 92, as shown at 99.

The rear ends of the inner beams 25 are bent upwardly, as more clearly shown in Figures 5 and 8, and a strike off blade device I88 is mounted beneath the rear ends of the inner and outer beams 25, rearwardly of the V-shaped blades 11. This strike off blade device comprises a pair of angle irons I8I, between which is arranged a pair of blades I82 and I83, and blade extensions I84, separate from the blade I83. Blade extensions I84 have extensions I85 extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the frames 24. When assembled between the angle irons I8I, the blades I82 and I83 are secured thereto by bolts or rivets I05, while the blade extensions I04 have elongated slots I06 to receive certain of these bolts. After being thus assembled, the blades I02 and I03 and the vertical webs of the angle irons IOI are cut at spaced intervals up to the horizontal webs of the angle irons, to provide vertical slots I01. The blade deviceis therefore rendered vertically flexible but remains horizontally-rigid. By holding the outer ends of the blade device against vertical movement, and raising the inner portion, the blade devicemay be bent vertically throughout its length to provide a suitable crown for the road. Arranged near the ends of the angle irons IIII are brackets I08, the inner ends of which have sleeves I00, receiving bolts III], which clamp them to the outer beams 25. The brackets I08 are provided at their outer ends with yokes or jaws I I I, to slidably receive the reduced ends I I2 of the angle irons IOI. These reduced portions II2 are also slidably held within yokes or jaws I I3, having screwthreaded stems H4, passing through sleeves II5, within which they are slidably mounted, with their upper ends threaded to receive nuts I I6. At a point spaced equi-distantly from the ends of the blade device is a pair of straps or angle irons III, rigidly secured to the angle irons IN, and having a vertical shaft IIB attached thereto by a bolt I I or the like. This shaft is longitudinally movably mounted in a bearing I20, rigidly mounted upon the cross tie 54. The shaft H0 has no screw-threaded engagement within the bearing I20, but its upper end is screw-threaded for engagement within the screw-threaded opening of a bevel gear I2I. The bevel gear I 2| is engaged by a bevel gear I22, turned by a horizontal shaft I23, operated by a hand wheel I24. The blade device is tensioned to assume a horizontal position, but by turning the hand wheel I24, the' shaft II8 may be raised, which will elevate the intermediate portion of the blade device and thereby bend the same longitudinally in a vertical plane, which is rendered possible by the slots I01. This bending action will cause the'reduced portions I I2 of the angle irons IM to move longitudinally within the jaws or yokes III and H3.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The bituminous material, such as mineral aggregates covered or coated with bituminous material, may be laid upon the old road or road bed, while hot or cold. If the material is cold, it will contain a volatile solvent which will-render the same suitably workable, before drying. This bituminous material is'laid upon the road bed and may be roughly spread thereon.

Our machine, including the combined units I5, is of a width to extend over the entire transverse area of the road bed. This machine is now drawn forwardly over the applied bituminous material or aggregates. The material is first engaged by the rearwardly converging pairs of blades .66 and 61, is worked, mixed and scraped laterally toward the passage or opening II and then discharges through the opening II. The material is next engaged by the rearwardly diverging blades I2, and deflected laterally outwardly and inwardly, working, mixing, and leveling the same. The material discharging from the outer ends of the blades I2 engages the blades I3, and the material discharging from the inner ends of the blades I2 engages the blades I5. The material is thus again shifted laterally, worked, mixed and scraped by each pair of blades I3 and I5, and discharges through the opening I6, and is engaged by the rearwardly diverging blade 'II. These two blades 11 effect the final lateral shifting, working and mixing and leveling of the material. By adjusting the material .direction rudder 92, an increased amount of material may be deflected to either side of the V-shapedblade 11. The action of the blades 11 is followed by the strike off blade device, which is adjusted to produce the desired crown of the road. The thickness of the layer thus produced is regulated by the vertical adjustment of the main frames 24, at their front and rear ends. These frames are long and possess some flexibility, and hence one longitudinal side of the same, at the forward end, may be raised a greater distance than the other side. The rear end portion of the frame is raised and lowered as a unit. Since the connections between the two frames 24 of the two units possess some flexibility, the two frames are separately adjusted to different elevations. By manipulating the steering wheel 63, the rear wheels 40 of the two units are turned in unison, to cooperate with the trucks I6 in steering the entire machine.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and ar rangement of parts, may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit ofour invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A road working machine, comprising a pair of units arranged side to side, each unit comprising a wheeled frame, means for connecting the wheeled frames, pairs of rearwardly converging blades mounted upon each frame and spaced longitudinally of the frame and having passages at their rear ends, the inner blades of one frame being arranged adjacent to the forward ends of the inner blades of the other frame to form rearwardly diverging pairs substantially closed at their forward ends, rearwardly diverging blades mounted upon each frame and alternately disposed with respect to the rearwardly converging blades and having substantially closed forward ends arranged rearwardly of and in alignmentwith the passages at the rear ends of the rearwardly converging blades, the combined effective-operating area of the blades of both frames extending transversely throughout susbstantially the entire width of the road, a continuous strikeoff blade device common to both frames and extending transversely of both frames near the rear ends thereof, means for attaching the strikeoff blade device near its ends with both frames, and means to flex the strike-ofi blade device to produce the desired crown in the road.

2. A road working machine, comprising a pair of units arranged side to side, each unit comprising a wheeled frame, means for connecting the wheeled frames, pairs of rearwardly converging blades mounted upon each frame and spaced longitudinally of the frame and having passages at their rear ends, the inner blades of one frame being arranged adjacent to the forward ends of the inner blades of the other frame to form rearwardly diverging pairs, rearwardly diverging blades mounted upon each frame and alternately disposed with respect to the rearwardly converging blades and having their forward ends 1 arranged rearwardly of and in alignment with the passages at the rear ends of the rearwardly converging blades, means to raise and lower each frame, and means separate from the first named Til lowering and raising means to raise and lower the rearmost rearwardly diverging blade with respect to its frame, a strike-off blade device common to both frames and extending transversely of both frames near the rear ends thereof, means for attaching the strike-off blade device with both frames, and means to flex the strike-oil blade device to produce the desired crown in the road.

3. A road working machine, comprising a frame, a strike of! blade device comprising a pair of angle irons having horizontal and vertical webs, a blade arranged between the angle irons and attached thereto, the vertical webs and blade being transversely cut at intervals, yokes slidably engaging the horizontal webs and secured to the frame, and means to move the intermediate portion of the angle irons vertically.

4. A road working machine, comprising frames arranged side to side in spaced parallel relation, means connecting the frames so that they retain the parallel relation, wheeled trucks supporting the forward ends of the frames, a draft appliance common to the wheeled trucks and connected therewith, steering wheels supporting the rear portions of the frames, a steering gear for each set of steering wheels including a drag link, a drag link element connecting the two drag links so that they move in'unison, means mounted upon one frame to operate the corresponding steering gear and being common to both steering gears, and blades mounted upon each frame.

5. A road working machine,comprising wheeled frames arranged side by side, blades carried by each frame,'means connecting the forward portions of the frames, a continuous flexible strikeoff blade device extending transversely of the "nines near their rear ends and common to the 1 me and embodying a horizontal web, brackets cured to the frames near their outer sides and nlg yokes to receive the horizontal web, yokes engaging the horizontal web near the first named yokes and adjustably mounted upon the brackets, a supporting member connecting the rear end por ions of the frames, and means mounted upon the supporting member to vertically flex the strike-off blade device.

6. A road working machine, comprising main frames arranged side by side, blades carried by each frame, a truck arranged near the forward end of each frame, a truck frame pivotally mounted upon the truck to swing horizontally with relation thereto and having its rear ends pivotally connected with each main frame to swing vertically with relation thereto, flexible elements for suspending the forward end of each main frame from its truck frame and attached such main frame at points near the opposite sides thereof, separate winding devices mounted upon each main frame and connected with the flexible elements, a transverse rock shaft connected with the rear portion of each main frame and having cranks, rear wheels carried by the cranks of each main frame, means including a flexible element to turn the rock shaft for raising the rear portion of each main frame, a winding device connected with the last named flexible and mounted upon each main frame,

separate manually operated elements to actuate the winding devices, means for connecting the main frames, a steering gear for the rear wheels of each main frame including a drag link which connects the rear wheels of each main frame for steering action, a drag link element connecting the drag links which steer the sets of rear wheels, and common means for moving the connected drag links and drag link element to steer the two sets of rear wheels in unison.

7. A road working machine, comprising main frames arranged side by side, blades carried by each main frame, a set of front steering wheels for each main frame, means to mount the forward portion of each main frame upon the set of front steering wheels, means to steer the two sets of front steering wheels in unison, separate means connected with each main frame near its front end and near each side to raise and lower the same, a set of rear steering wheels for each main frame, means to mount each main frame upon its set of rear steering wheels and to vertically adjust the rear portion of such frame with relation to the rear steering wheels, means to connect the sets of rear steering wheels and cause the same to turn in unison for steering action, and means common to both sets of rear steering wheels and serving to actuate the connecting means for the sets of rear steering wheels.

8. A road making machine, comprising main frames arranged side by side, blades carried by each main frame, a set offront steering wheels for each main frame, means to mount the forward portion of each main frame upon its set of front steering wheels and to vertically adjust such forward portion with relation to the set of front steering wheels, a set of rear steering wheels for each main frame, -means to mount each main frame upon its set of rear steering wheels to vertically adjust the rear portion of such frame with relation to the set of rear steering wheels, means for connecting the main frames, means for connecting one set of rear steering wheels with the other set of rear steering wheels and cause such sets to turn in unison for steering action, means common to both sets of rear steering wheels and serving to actuate the connecting means for the sets of rear steering wheels, a strike-off blade device common to bbth main frames and extending transversely thereof and attached thereto, and means to flex the strike-off blade device to produce the desired crown in the road.

9. In a road machine a pair of rectangular frames connected together side by side, each frame comprising two spaced I-beams rigidly connected together by transverse members and having their webs in a vertical position, a rear wheel on each side adjustably and. steerably connected to the frames an appreciable distance forwardly of the free ends of the I-beams and a blade assembly extending completely across the twoframes and releasably clamped to the frames behind said rear wheels.

10. A road working machine, comprising main frames arranged side by side, road working means carried by each frame, a truck arranged near the forward end of each frame, a.truck frame pivotally mounted upon the truck to swing horizontally with relation thereto and having its rear ends pivotally connected with each main frame to swing vertically with relation thereto, adjustable elements'for suspending the forward end of each main frame from its truck frame and attached to such main frame at points near the opposite sides thereof, separate devices mounted upon each main frame and connected with the adjustable elements to actuate the same for selectively raising and lowering the forward corners of the main frames, rear wheels for the main frames, adjustable means connecting the rear wheels with the rear portion of each main frame, devices for actuating the adjustable means to change the elevation of the rear portion of the main frames with respect to the wheels, separate manually operated elements to actuate said devices, means for connecting the main frames, steering mechanism for the rear Wheels of each main frame including a drag link which connects the rear wheels of eachmain frame for steering action, a drag link element connecting the drag links which steer the sets of rear wheels, and common means for moving the connected drag links and drag link element to steer the two sets of rear wheels in unison.

11. A road working machine, comprising frames arranged side by side in spaced parallel relation, means connecting the frames so that they retain the parallel relation, wheeled trucks supporting the forward ends of the frames, said means including a draft appliance common to the wheeled trucks and connected therewith, steerable wheels supporting the rear portions of the frames, steering mechanism for each set of steerable wheels including a drag link, means connecting the drag links so that they move in unison, means mounted upon one frame to operate the corresponding steering mechanism and thereby to operate both steering mechanisms, and road working means mounted upon each frame.

12. A road working machine, comprising main frames arranged side by side, surface material working means carried by each main frame, a steerable set of front wheels for each main frame, means to mount the forward portion of each main frame upon the set of front wheels, means to steer the two sets of front wheels in unison, separate means connected with each main frame near its front end and near each side to raise and lower the same, a set of steerable rear wheels for each main frame, means to mount each main frame upon its set of rear wheels and to vertically adjust the rear portion of such frame with relation to the rear Wheels, and means to steer the rear wheels in unison.

13. A road working machine, comprising main frames arranged side by side, blades carried by each main frame, a set of steerable front wheels for each main frame, means to mount the forward portion of each main frame upon its set' of front wheels and to vertically adjust such forward portion with relation to the front wheels, a set of steerable rear wheels for each main frame, means to mount each main frame upon its set of rear Wheels to vertically adjust the rear portion of such frame with relation to its rear wheels, means for connecting the main frames, means for connecting one set of rear wheels with the other set of rear wheels and cause such sets to turn in unison for steering action, means common to both sets of rear wheels and serving to actuate the connecting means for the sets of rear wheels, a strike-off blade device common to both main frames and extending transversely thereof and attached thereto, and means to flex the strike-off blade device to produce the desired crown in the road.

WILLIAM K. BECKHAM. FRANK E. ARMSTRONG. 

